What is DUST 514?

Wage war in the next generation of first-person shooters, where a single victory could prove the crushing blow to a galactic empire of thousands of EVE Online® gamers.

What is the setting of DUST 514?

DUST 514 takes place in New Eden, a faraway galaxy colonized by humanity via the lost EVE Gate. After a long dark age, the four empires and countless corporations of New Eden wage a never-ending battle to control galactic resources.

New Eden is a galaxy of cutthroat intrigue, far-future technology, endless potential, and deadly mystery. Immortals created through alien technology shape its future – the capsuleers who pilot starships in EVE Online®, and now the unstoppable mercenaries of DUST 514.

Who do you play as?

You are a mercenary, a clone-soldier whose consciousness is instantly transferred to the next available clone upon death. Whether you fight for a cause, for yourself, or just for the highest bidder, you and the countless super-soldiers like you have emerged to carve out their legacy in a war-torn cosmos.

What kind of gameplay can I expect in DUST 514?

DUST 514 offers edge-of-your-seat shooter combat within a persistent universe. You will engage in brutal firefights, snipe enemies from afar, bombard their bases, and call in air-strikes. You can also climb into future-tech vehicles to rampage in a tank, speed across the battlefield in a light recon vehicle, and more. Combat in DUST 514 is tactical and squad-based, and rewards you for playing as a team.

What are the objectives?

Mercenary teams in DUST 514 wage battles, acquire territory, amass wealth, and build empires. By battling with and against other players, players can control specific areas of the EVE Universe. Once they gain control of a territory on a planet, they will have control of its resources and can build upon it; the more resources players have, the more powerful they become.

How is the game “massively multiplayer”?

DUST 514 takes place in the massive, persistent EVE Universe, which has been thriving for over ten years, contains hundreds of thousands of EVE Online players, and spans thousands of solar systems and individual planets. A major war in the EVE Universe could involve thousands of players at once. DUST 514 can support 16v16 matches in a single battle in a single district on a single planet, and there can be multiple battles on a planet happening simultaneously, impacting each other in real time. The scale of DUST 514 is unprecedented.

What about customization?

DUST 514 goes well beyond the basic weapon customization and character leveling found in many of today’s top shooters. DUST 514 players can tailor and enhance their characters’ equipment and skills to create their own unique soldier class, whether that’s a heavily-armored sniper or a quick-footed scout with a big gun. In addition, every vehicle in DUST 514 can also be deeply customized with different weapons and capabilities.

So how does the leveling system work?

DUST 514 players can train skills for combat. These skills will help to enhance their armor so they can take more damage, upgrade their abilities with certain weapons, use vehicles more effectively, and much more. Training skills also unlocks abilities to use advanced weaponry and more powerful vehicles. Skills can be learned in the background as well: Players can walk away from DUST 514 for an hour or a day, then come back and see that they’ve gained raw skill points to spend as they wish.

Can you explain the marketplace?

DUST 514 marks a first for consoles as a AAA free-to-play FPS. Players can download the game from the PlayStation®Network and play DUST 514 completely free of charge. Players earn ISK, an in-game currency, by winning battles, doing missions, and more. Players can also buy Aurum, another in-game currency, through the PlayStation®Store. Players looking to customize their experience can spend either ISK or Aurum on a variety of microtransaction purchases. That said, DUST 514 is not a pay-to-win game. Players purchasing items with Aurum will not result in an unfair advantage over players who only spend ISK, the in-game earned currency.

Do I need to be familiar with EVE Online to play DUST 514?

No, not at all. DUST 514 is designed to provide great moment-to-moment shooter gameplay, with no knowledge of the EVE Universe required. But players looking for a deeper experience will be able to discover and explore the EVE Universe, the most enthralling and sophisticated virtual world ever created.

How do I interact with EVE Online players?

Initially, DUST 514 mercenaries will be able to join EVE Online players in the corporate wars that rage across the contested boundaries between empires. By working together, players will be able to fight critical battles that can swing the sovereignty of the system and thus influence the large scale strategic balance. EVE players will be able to directly affect the outcome of these critical ground battles by bombarding the opposing faction from space.

The EVE Universe is all about power, domination, and control of space. Players in DUST 514 and EVE Online will work with and against each other to wage battles, conquer territories, amass wealth, and build empires.

Can I still have fun without interacting with EVE Online players?

Simple answer, yes. While DUST 514 is a gateway into the EVE Universe, players looking for the classic 10-minute first person shooter experience will enjoy DUST 514 and its multitude of weapons, vehicles, worlds, and gameplay modes.

How does DUST 514 support the Sony PlayStation® Ecosystem?

DUST 514 fully supports every aspect of the PlayStation® Ecosystem. It is available via download exclusively on the PlayStation®Network; its unique cross-platform play, persistent universe, and free-to-play gameplay are only possible on the PlayStation®3.